Blockade!
Blockade! was an 8-page comic adventure written by Gareth Roberts and drawn by Martin Geraghty. It was included in the Blake's 7 Winter Special, published in 1995 by Marvel UK. Gan is not included in the strip, suggesting that it is set between the end of Pressure Point (when he was killed) and the beginning of Star One (the last episode to feature Jenna). Plot The Liberator is in orbit above the planet Konestra whose inhabitants have risen up against the Federation. A Federation space ship, registration X557, leaves Konestra and makes its way towards the Liberator. Zen identifies it as a personnel carrier and Blake is about to have it destroyed when Jenna tells him that someone on the ship is trying to contact them. The caller is Doctor Zeer Hills who claims to be an independent aid worker. She states that the ship only has civilian casualties and nurses and asks to be allowed through. Avon errs to the side of caution, pointing out that the ship could open fire at any moment, but Blake and Cally give Hills the benefit of the doubt and Blake teleports to the Federation ship in order to check it out. On the carrier, Blake is shown the civilian casualties from a small town raided by Federation forces as part of their war against the local resistance. Many of the patients are suffering terrible injuries and mutilations. Hills explains that she and her colleagues are taking them to a place with better treatment facilities. Blake is impressed by her dedication and summons Cally and Jenna over with some medical equipment. Avon teleports the two women over. He himself still has misgivings and has instructed Orac to find out all he can about Hills and the carrier. Orac reports that Hills is genuine but that Carrier X557 is a false registration: it is in fact a battleship armed with plasma missiles! Avon radios Blake on the carrier to warn him. At that moment, a male nurse called Harvik seizes hold of Jenna and holds her at gunpoint. Federation security knew that the Liberator was coming to Konestra and used Hills, her team and their patients as decoys in order to get the ship close enough to the Liberator and lure its crew on board. Harvik tells Blake to surrender but Cally knocks him out from behind, freeing Jenna. Hills denies knowing anything about the plot — she was just trying to evacuate the civilians. Harvik was a last minute addition as was the pilot of the carrier. Blake shoots and kills the pilot but the man has already armed the ship's plasma missiles: they are aimed at the Liberator and the process cannot be stopped! On the Liberator, Zen advises that the only way to stop the missiles is to destroy the carrier! Avon informs Blake who tells him not to fire, but Hills concedes that there is really no other option. Blake, Jenna and Cally are teleported back to the Liberator which then destroys the carrier, Hills and everyone else on board! Back on the Liberator, Blake blames the Federation for using Hills and causing her death. He thanks Avon for bringing him back, remarking "You could have left me there. You surprised me." Avon mutters that he is just as surprised. Notes In an early scene, Vila states that Blake can look after himself, to which Avon answers that Blake is "not very good at looking after other people", a possible reference to Gan's death and his absence from the strip. category:comic